For the dressing:Fresh/dried herbs of your choice (I have used a mix of basil and marjoram) – 1 tablespoonLemon juice – 3 to 4 tblspns.Salt and pepper – To tasteOil – 3 tblspns.

Method:

To prepare the marinade, add the ingredients listed under ‘For the dressing’ into a large bowl. Give it a good mix and keep aside.

Cut the zucchini and eggplants into thin slices. This will help them cook evenly.

Cut the onions into thick rings.

Make little strips out of the capsicum.

Place all the cut vegetables including the tomato halves into the bowl with the marinade.

With clean hands, toss and coat the vegetables in the marinade. Ensure that the vegetables are properly coated in the marinade.

Once done, allow the vegetables to marinate for about 30 to 40 minutes.

When you are ready to grill, heat the pan. Brush it with oil, if you like.

Strain the liquid from the marinade, and reserve it to dress the salad.

Place the marinated vegetable slices on the grill pan. Place as many as you can fit in the pan.

On high heat, allow the veggies to grill. Turn the sides to allow them to cook on the other side. Repeat the process till the vegetables start to brown on the sides, and are adequately cooked on the insides.

Do the same for the remaining marinated vegetables.

Assemble the vegetables on a serving plate. Sprinkle feta cheese on top of the salad.

Drizzle the reserved marinade on the salad.

Serve warm with crusty breads or with main meals.

Tips:- I have used vegetables that were readily available in my fridge. Use winter/summer squashes, corn or other vegetables of your choice.- I have used feta because I like the combination of the cheese and vegetables. You may also grill haloumi and serve with the salad. If you don’t like cheese, skip it.- You could also use other herbs of your choice for the dressing.- While these veggies are pan-grilled, you could do the same with a BBQ grill.

It is amazing what you can do with watermelons. Sweet, savoury or juiced, the tasty melon never disappoints.

With the onset of spring here in Australia, the markets are stocking up on juicy, red watermelons. The fresh and sweet fruit is a personal favourite, and it is no wonder that I am buying them in plenty.

Lying in my fridge was a beautifully ripe watermelon, and I wanted to make something different with it. I like a touch of saltiness when I consume watermelons, and decided to improvise on my usual watermelon salad.

Inspired by the flavours of the Mediterranean, here I present to you my grilled watermelon salad that is fresh and delish.

Season with salt and pepper. I would recommend that you use salt in lower quantities as the vinegar and feta cheese have some amount of salt in it.

Serve with olives.

Tips:

- If you don’t like feta, replace it with goat’s cheese or skip it altogether.- For added freshness, include some chopped parsley.- It is best to use a grill pan to achieve the grill marks. If you don’t have one or don’t particularly care for the grill marks, you can do the same on a regular griddle or frying pan.

The low-calorie, fibre and protein-rich baked beans is made from navy beans. Navy beans, also known as haricot beans, is typically slow-cooked in sauce and then baked for long hours. By doing so, the beans are perfectly cooked, and get infused in the flavourful sauce.

I haven’t tried my hand at making baked beans from scratch, and it is all thanks to the readily available canned/bottled variants. When I see a special on baked beans, I stock up my pantry with it. Baked beans are a great addition to breakfast, and make a filling mid-meal snack.

This time, the tasty and healthy baked beans come in a soupy avatar. Teamed with nutritious vegetables and a serving of bread, this soup is a meal in itself.